Youths who sexually harm: A multivariate model of characteristics

Abstract

This study investigates the variations in characteristics that exist among youths who sexually harm (YSH). Three conceptually distinct sets of background characteristics are hypothesized from the literature relating to whether the YSH was abused, delinquent or impaired. Forty-one characteristics were drawn from an extensive and detailed review of the files of 300 cases. The pattern of co-occurrence of the presence or absence of these characteristics was revealed by a non-metric multidimensional scaling procedure, smallest space analysis (SSA). The results provide empirical support for three distinct background themes as 215 (71%) of the youths could be assigned to one dominant background theme (abused, delinquent or impaired). The findings have implications for the ways in which practitioners differentiate between young people who sexually harm.

Keywords:

• Adolescent
• sexually harmful behaviour
• abuse
• delinquency
• impairment
• smallest space analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the staff at G-MAP and the 5A project for their assistance and for allowing them access to their files.